Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 84 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 Ford Bronco, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and brakes categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 31 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 2 | 2 |
| Feb 1995 | 1 | 3 |
| Mar 1995 | 2 | 5 |
| May 1995 | 3 | 8 |
| Jun 1995 | 2 | 10 |
| Aug 1995 | 2 | 12 |
| Oct 1995 | 1 | 13 |
| Jan 1996 | 1 | 14 |
| Feb 1996 | 2 | 16 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 17 |
| Apr 1996 | 3 | 20 |
| May 1996 | 1 | 21 |
| Jun 1996 | 1 | 22 |
| Jul 1996 | 1 | 23 |
| Aug 1996 | 3 | 26 |
| Sep 1996 | 3 | 29 |
| Oct 1996 | 2 | 31 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 1997 | 1 | 33 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 34 |
| May 1997 | 2 | 36 |
| Jun 1997 | 1 | 37 |
| Jul 1997 | 3 | 40 |
| Aug 1997 | 2 | 42 |
| Oct 1997 | 1 | 43 |
| Dec 1997 | 2 | 45 |
| Apr 1998 | 1 | 46 |
| May 1998 | 1 | 47 |
| Jul 1998 | 2 | 49 |
| Aug 1998 | 2 | 51 |
| Nov 1998 | 1 | 52 |
| Dec 1998 | 1 | 53 |
| Jan 1999 | 1 | 54 |
| Feb 1999 | 2 | 56 |
| Mar 1999 | 1 | 57 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 58 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 59 |
| Feb 2000 | 1 | 60 |
| Aug 2000 | 1 | 61 |
| Sep 2000 | 4 | 65 |
| Oct 2000 | 2 | 67 |
| Dec 2000 | 1 | 68 |
| Jan 2001 | 2 | 70 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 71 |
| May 2001 | 1 | 72 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 73 |
| Jan 2002 | 1 | 74 |
| Feb 2002 | 1 | 75 |
| Mar 2002 | 4 | 79 |
| May 2002 | 1 | 80 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 81 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 82 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 83 |
| Apr 2010 | 1 | 84 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
2 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD BRONCO. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V071000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION). THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN. THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE BEFORE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 153,000.
CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AT A RESTAURANT AND WENT INSIDE TO EAT. WITHIN TEN MINUTES THE CONSUMER NOTICED FIRE TRUCKS COMING INTO THE RESTAURANT'S PARKING LOT. CONSUMER WENT OUTSIDE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK
THE FLOOR PAN UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAD THROWN. IF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR BRAKES HAD TO BE DEPRESSED SUDDENLY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD RIP OUT BECAUSE IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR PAN. THERE WAS TSB/ RECALL IN ALL DATA B93900801 FOR THE FLOOR PAN REINFORCEMENT(NOT IN ARTEMIS). ARTEMIS HAS INVESTIGATION PE90036, BUT IT'S FOR THE FLOOR BOARD.*AK
VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING OVER NIGHT WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED STEERING COLUMN AND DASH PLAYED A MAJOR PART IN FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WITH NO WARNING MY BRONCO DIED WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH IN WORK TRAFFIC. I HAD TO PUSH THE BRONCO OUT OF TRAFFIC, AND THEN WAIT 2 HRS. FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TOW ME TO A MECHANIC, WITHA REPAIR BILL OF $184.00 TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION MODULE. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED $184.00. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED - I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!!!!*AK
VEHICLE HESITATED AND SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD AREA. VEHICLE BURNED TO THE GROUND.*AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT SAY WHAT EXACTLY CAUSED THE FIRE.*AK. CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE STALLED 3 TIMES PREVIOUSLY.*JB
WHILE DRIVING COULD HEAR A LOT OF NOISE. HAD CONTACTED DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
SUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM. *TT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION- E40D/4R100-1989-99-MAIN CONTROLS, SEPARATOR PLATES AND SEPARATOR PLATE GASKETS USAGE CHART. YD
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SOLID PARTICLE CONTAMINANTS FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR, MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM IS NOT PROPERLY FLUSHED, FLUID IN-LINE FILTER KIT. *MJS
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 47 | 19 | 0 | 65.1 |
| 2024 | 72 | 16 | 0 | 62.6 |
| 2023 | 216 | 18 | 0 | 55.5 |
| 2022 | 362 | 23 | 2 | 63.4 |
| 2021 | 222 | 20 | 4 | 66.0 |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 81 | 2 | 1 | 63.3 |
| 1995 | 94 | 2 | 1 | 59.8 |
| 1994 | 91 | 5 | 1 | 62.2 |
| 1993 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 55.1 |
| 1992 | 37 | 4 | 6 | 60.6 |
| 1991 | 32 | 2 | 6 | 68.5 |
| 1990 | 56 | 1 | 6 | 60.3 |
| 1989Viewing | 84 | 2 | 2 | 62.2 |
| 1988 | 52 | 1 | 1 | 60.5 |
| 1987 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 56.0 |
| 1986 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 59.7 |
| 1985 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 61.6 |
| 1984 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 70.6 |
| 1983 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1981 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.